The Ag. Managing Director/Chief Executive of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Mr. Pwajok Matthew Lawrence said the agency was working hard to increase automation of control towers across the country.
He gave a detailed performance report of the agency at the FNAC opening, saying that (NAMA) is increasing the automation of control towers or air traffic management systems across the country.
“We are increasing the automation of the control towers or air traffic management systems. We have a total radar coverage of Nigeria providing surveillance over the entire Nigerian airspace and beyond. And this is strategically done by the deployment of surveillance systems in nine locations. In Kano, Lagos, Abuja Ports Harcourt, Maiduguri, Talata Mafara, Obubra and Illorin providing a total coverage of Nigeria.
And several times were asked whether we truly have a total coverage. These radars have a range of about 256 nautical miles’ coverage. So each of these nine locations to strategically cover Nigeria.
”The MD further said the agency is in the process of upgrading this system to a more advanced system referred to as Top Sky System which will give us additional capabilities that will enhance safety and security within the Nigerian airspace and further reduce flight delays and lack of efficiency.
Pwajok noted that the Agency had been able to sectaries the provision of Air Traffic Services.
“On the air traffic management also, we have been able to sectaries the provision of Air Traffic Services in Kano into eastern and West and in Lagos into east and west to enhance capacity of the air traffic management system.
We also are upgrading facilities in most of these control towers. And this is where we need to collaborate with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria with the upgrade of new control towers as well as development of new towers to replace especially some of the old towers to enable us to be able to equip them with modern facilities”
The MD further highlighted some of the key performance of the Agency to the stakeholders such as the automation of the tower system in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt through the Safe Tower Project, while Katsina and Zaria Tower were automated into fully automated control tower systems, completion of an extended VHF range (Voice Communication) at Lagos and Kano for the upper airspace, DATA link Communication referred to as Controller Pilot Data link Communications system at the upper airspace in Kano and Lagos for effective and proper communication between the pilot and Air Traffic controllers.
The NAMA boss said the Agency had implemented the instrument landing system CAT3 in Lagos and Abuja, but Kano, Port Harcourt and Katsina is still in process as it will be ready by the end of the year.
Pwajok said ten (10) instrument landing system CAT2 at ten (10) airports Nationwide. Pwajok maintained that the Agency had acquired a calibration aircraft which will aid to facilitate the calibration of navigational facilities nationwide.
He said that the Agency had a policy of adequately providing satellite navigation for all airports and the have implemented Performance Base Navigation on both runways at all airports nationwide except Port Harcourt runway 03 that had a little challenge.
The NAMA boss also stated that the Agency had also provided a Barometric Vertical Navigation (Baro V NAV) for the International Airports which provides lateral and vertical guidance using satellite system into this Airports.
“We’re also working with NIGCOMSAT to be able to develop what we call the use of satellite based augmentation (SBAS) to provide precision approaches CAT 1 using satellite systems for airports.
We’re hoping this year we’ll be able to do a trial of that capability of satellite navigation with precision using SBAS as augmentation.
On Surveillance, we have a total radar coverage of Nigeria and have the federal government approval to do an upgrade of the total radar coverage and in addition to that, we are implementing the surface movement and ground control radar in Lagos and Abuja because of the complications on the aerodrome surface, and the need to be able to facilitate and reduce delays on ground.
We are hopeful that before the end of the year, we should be able to commission, the surface movement and ground radar control that will monitor and control vehicular movements, aircraft movements all on the ground of this very busy airports and all geared towards increasing capacity, increasing safety of flight and efficiency of flights.”
Pwajok noted that the Agency had equipped the Search and Rescue centers in Kano and Lagos and had provided them with trained manpower.
